Until 1920, every NASM cargo ship was propelled by a reciprocating steam engine; in most cases triple-expansion.

However, in April of that year C. van der Giessen & Zonen's shipyard in Krimpen aan den IJssel laid down the first of a class of new ships of about 6,850 GRT for NASM.

Each member of the class was to be driven by two Brown-Curtis steam turbines, driving a single screw via double-reduction gearing.

Van der Giessen launched the first ship in October 1920 as Burgerdijk, completed her in June 1921,[1] and went on to build three more members of the class.

Harland & Wolff built her turbines, so she was towed from the Noord to Belfast, Ireland, where she arrived on 1 October for them to be installed.

[11] In September 1939 Binnendijk left New York carrying general cargo, bound for Rotterdam.

[12] On 7 October she was in the English Channel when the Royal Navy ordered her to put into Portland Harbour to allow her cargo to be inspected for contraband.

It was sunset, so Binnendijk's Master, Captain WPJ Morée, requested permission to anchor for the night near the Shambles Sandbank, off Portland Bill.

[14] By 22:00 hrs Binnendijk had detonated a magnetic mine about 2+1⁄2 nautical miles (4.6 km) southeast of the Shambles lightship.

[13] The ship was burning from stem to stern when she sank the next day, at position 50°32′N 2°20′W / 50.533°N 2.333°W / 50.533; -2.333, about 1 nautical mile (1.9 km) north of the lightship.

[8] Boschdijk was burnt out in the German invasion of the Netherlands in 1940, and towed to the Baltic in 1942, where the Luftwaffe sank her as target practice.

The wreck provides habitat for lobster, spider crabs, conger eel, pouting, pollock, and tompot blenny.